Automobile door hinge



SePtl5, 1953 R. A: LAIBLE 265l,805

AUTOMOBILE DOOR HINGE Filed Aug 14. 1948 f 111111 & 491111111111Patented Sept. 15, 1953 AUTOMOBILE DOOR HINGE Rayl A. Laible, Freeport,Ill., assignor of one-half to Henney Motor Company, Inc., Freeport,Ill., a corporation of New York Application August 14, 1948, Serial No.44,359

4 Claims.

vmeans incorporated therein.

Hinges embodying hold-open and/or stop means are, of course, well knowngenerally speaking. However, many designs have not been practical eitherbecause of the undesirable effect upon the operation of the door, orbecause of the uncertainty of operation of the hold-open means, or thelikelihood of breakage or quick wearing out of the part or parts reliedupon, bearing in mind the fact that these parts are necessarilysubjected to heavy load even under ideal operating conditions and ratherviolent shocks and jars under average conditions. The automobilemanufacturers are, moreover, demandingr that the hold-open and stopmeans add Very little, if any, to the total cost of the hinge assembly,which, therefore, imposes a further serious limitation upon the designand construction of a commercially acceptable item of this kind. In thedesigning of the present hinge, all of these things had to be taken intoconsideration fully, with the result that I have provided a leaf springon the inner hinge member having spaced arcuate end portions which areyieldable to admit therebetween the stop pin provided on the outer hingemember, so that the spring cushions the door as it reaches its limit ofopening movement by exerting resistance to entry of the stop pin betweenthe end portions, the stop pin serving, of course, positively to limitthe opening movement, and the spring serving thereafter as a hold-openmeans yieldably resisting closing of .the door. This construction meetsthe automobile manufacturers requirements as to strength and durabilityand the hinge manufacturers requirements as t-o low cost of production,besides meeting the motorists requirements in regard to the doorchecking, stopping, and hold-open functions, which are performedpositively and yet quietly and smoothly and without making the operationof the door the least bit diiiicult or awkward;

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig.l shows an automobile door hinge, in horizontal section, equipped with aleaf spring and cooperating stop pin for hold-open, check, and stoppurposes, in accordance with my invention, the hinge being shown in fulllines fully opened, so as better to illustrate the operation, the closedposition being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an isolated face view of the leaf spring, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail corresponding to a portion ofFig. 1, but showing a modified or alternative construction.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts in thesefour views.

Referring rst to Figs. l to 3, the reference numeral 5 designates theouter, generally U-shaped, sheet metal hinge member that is mounted onthe body of the automobile, and 6 the inner hinge member that is mountedon the door. The outer hinge member Ei being U-shaped provides opposed,substantially horizontal, parallel walls l and 8 interconnected by asubstantially vertical wall 9. Embossed portions on the horizontal walls'I and 8 form supports for the hinge pintle I9 received in a bearinghole II provided therefor in the inner end portion I2 of the inner hingemember 6. The walls l and 8 are also flanged outwardly at their outerends to provide attaching portions for bolting, riveting, or otherwisesecuring the outer hinge member 5 to the body pillar. The generallyU-shaped gooseneck portion I3 of the inner hinge member 6, of which theend portion I2 previously mentioned forms one side of the U, has aradius long enough so that the cross-portion I4 of the U clears the bodypillar in the opening of the door, as clearly appears in Fig. l, thedoor being free to swing through approximately ninety degrees fromclosed to open position, as can be seen from a comparison of the fullline and dotted line positions of the inner hinge member 6 in Fig. 1.

In'accordance with my invention, a stop pin I 5 is provided in the outerhinge member in right angle relation to the top and bottom walls l and8, and having reduced end portions I6 entered in holes I'I in theinwardly1 embossed portions I8 `of said walls, the protruding portionsof the pin being upset, as indicated at I 9, to rivet the pin I5permanently to the outer hinge member 5. I am aware that pins similarlylocated have been provided before, but, in accordance with my invention,this pin I 5 cooperates in a novel manner with the inwardly bent arcuateend portions 25J and 2| of a generally U-shaped leaf spring 22 that isfastened to the outer side of the inner end portion I2 of the innerhinge member 5, as by means of a pair of bolts 23 entered throughregistering holes 24 and 25 provided in the spring 22 and hinge memberand threaded in holes provided in the opposite end portions of theelongated nut 26. Lock washers 2? are provided under the heads of thebolts to minimize likelihood of their loosening in service. The nut 25forms an abutment on the inner hinge member 6 for the stop pin I5, topositively limit the door opening movement, and the arcuate end portions20 and 2| of the leaf spring 22 are so spaced in relation to thediameter of the striker or stop pin I that the leaf spring cushions thedoor` at the limit of opening movement instead of permitting the hingemember 6 to strike the pin I5 noisily and with a pronounced shock andjar, there being suiiicient resistance afforded by the spreading of theend portions 2U and 2! in the entry of the stop pin I5 therebetween togive this doorchecking action. Once the stop pin l5 has passed throughbetween the arcuate end portions .and 2| of the leaf spring 22, itimmediately encounters the abutment nut 26, which, of course, positivelylimits door opening movement, and the leaf spring 22 thereafter servesonly as a holdopen means to resist closing of the door, it beingvmanifest that the end portions 20 and 2| serve as hold-open meansbecause they must be spread apart again in the initial closing movementof the door to allow the pin l5 to pass. The arrangement lust describedcould, of course, be reversed, locating the stop pin I5 on the innerhinge member i5 and the leaf spring 2?. on the outer hinge member, butit is obvious that the arrangement described and illustrated ispreferable. Then too, the leaf spring 22 may be mounted on the outerhinge member and cooperate directly with the inner hinge member, whenthe latter is made of bar stocir. of a size to engage wedgingly betweenthe ends 'xiii-'2l of the leaf spring, similarly as the pin in Fig. l.Also. the arcuate end portions 2|] and 2| instead of being bent inwardlyas shown could be bent outwardly, although there again, the constructiondescribed and illustrated is preferable.

In Fig. 4i I have shown another construction, in which the same hingemembers 5a and te are provided, and the same forni of leaf spring 22 ismounted on the inner hinge member 6a by means of a pair of bolts 23 anda single elongated nut 26. However this hinge has, instead of the stoppin l5, a formed sheet metal striker I5a fastened on opposed bent inears 28 provided on the upper and lower walls of the outer hinge member5a, as by rivets 28. The striker 55a has a head portion 30 of hollowdiamond shape on the end of a supporting shank portion 3|, that hasoutwardly projecting attaching fianges 32 for riveting to the ears 28 ofthe hinge member 5a. The diamond shape of the head portion that entersbetween the arcuate end portions 20 and 2| of the leaf spring 22 is ofadvantage from the standpoint of easier spreading of the arcuate endportions 2D and 2| of the leaf spring, both in entering and leaving theleaf spring in the opening and closing movements of the door, so that astiffer leaf spring can be provided having a better doorchecking actionand a firmer hold-open action, without interfering with the easyoperation of the door. Here again, it must be understood that thearrangement could be reversed, the striker I5a being provided on theinner hinge member instead of on the outer, and the spring 22 beingprovided on the outer hinge member instead of on the inner one. Also,the leaf spring 22 could be provided with reverse bending of the arcuateend portions 20 and 2|.

It is believed that the foregoing description conveys a goodunderstanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. Theappended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modificationsand adaptations.

I claim:

l. A combined door-hinging, door-stopping, and door-holding devicecomprising a stationary outer hinge member of generally U-shaped formfor mounting in a door supporting structure, an inner hinge member ofgooseneck form attachable to a door and pivoted at its gooseneck end bya pintle between the arms of the U-shaped outer hinge member, agenerally U-shaped leaf spring disposed with both arms of its U in thelongtud nal plane of the gooseneck and fastened by its cross-portion toone side of the gooseneck in radially spaced relation to the pintle withthe arms of the U-spring in part extending forwardly .from the gooseneckin the direction of door opening movement, the outer end portions of thearms of the U-spring being formed to define with respec to a narrowthroat in the open end of the U-spring opposed outwardly diverging wallsand opposed inwardly diverging walls, and a cooperating striker ixedlymounted between the arms of the U-shaped outer hinge member in the pathof swinging movement and at what corresponds to the onen position of thegooseneck. said striker being of a width slightly greater than that ofthe narrow throat defined in the open end of said U-spring and arrangedto have wedging engagement between said outwardly diverging walls in theopening of the door so as to spread the arms of said U-spring apart fora door checking action, striker after passing through the throat havingabutment within the U-spring positively to limit door opening movementand having Contact with the inwardly diverging walls as to hold the dooropen.

2. A combined door-hinging, door-stopping, and door-holding devicecomprising a stationary outer hinge member of generally U-shaped formfor mounting in a door supporting structure, an inner hinge member ofgooseneclr form attachable to a door and pivoted at its goosenecl' endby a pintle between the arms of the U-sbaped outer hinge member, agenerally U-shaped leaf spring disposed with both arms of its U in thelongitudinal plane of the gooseneck and fastened by its cross-portion toone side of the gooseneck in radially spaced relation to the pintle withthe arms of the U-spring in part extending forwardly from the gooseneckin the direction of door opening movement, the outer end portions of thearms of the U-spring being formed to define with respect to a narrowthroat in the open end of the U-spring opposed outwardly diverging wallsand opposed inwardly diverging walls, and a cooperating cylindricalstriker pin Xedly mounted at its ends to the arms of the U-shaped outerhinge member in the path of swinging movement and at what corresponds tothe open position of the gooseneck, said striker pin being of a diametergreater than the width of the narrow throat defined in the open end ofsaid U -spring and adapted to have wedging engagement between saidoutwardly diverging walls in the opening of the door so as to spread thearms of said U-spring apart for a door checking action, said striker pinafter passing through the throat having abutment within the U-springpositively to limit door opening movement and having contact with theinwardly diverging walls so as to hold the door open.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for fastening theU-shaped leaf spring by its cross-portion to the outer side of thegooseneck comprises a pair of bolts entered through holes provided inthe gooseneck and registering holes provided in the cross-portion ofsaid spring and threaded in registering holes provided in an elongatednut disposed within said U-shaped spring in abutment with thecross-portion, said nut being positively held against turning relativeto either of said bolts by the other of said bolts and being so disposedrelative to said throat and being of such size in relation to saidU-spring and striker to serve as an abutment for said striker positivelylimiting opening of the door with the striker in engagement with theinwardly diverging walls of the open end of the U-spring.

4. A device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the means for fastening theU -shaped leaf spring by its cross-portion to the outer side of thegooseneck comprises a pair of bolts entered through holes provided inthe gooseneck and registering holes provided in the cross-portion ofsaid spring and threaded in registering holes provided in an elongatednut disposed Within said U-shaped spring in abutment with thecross-portion, said nut being dispos-ed parallel to said striker pin andarranged for abutment of the pin the full 20 length of one side of saidnut, said nut being positively held against turning relative to eitherof said bolts by the other of said bolts, said nut :be-

ing so disposed relative to said throat and being of such size inrelation to said U-spring and striker pin to serve as an abutment forsaid striker pin positively limiting opening of the door with thestriker pin in engagement With the inwardly diverging Walls of the openend of the U-spring.

RAY A. LAIBLE.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 319,532 Weaver June 6, 1885 444,019 Richards Jan. 6, 1891464,884 Liming Dec. 8, 1891 548,501 Barbarow Oct. 22, 1895 919,154 GenApr. 20, 1909 1,650,598 Brooks Nov. 29, 1927 2,314,416 Muldoon Mar. 23,1943 2,342,531 Dean Feb. 22, 1944 2,343,810 Schonitzer Mar. 7, 19442,354,789 Atwood Aug. 1, 1944

